In Bloom
by Vermillion-Skies
Summary: As a dancer, I was used to feeling eyes watching me, but my dance career failed to prepare me for the eyes of a predator. Something's lurking behind me. Tracing my every step. I can feel it coming closer everyday. What do I do? I'm as helpless as a sakura blossom. In my dreams a voice whispers to me, "There are strength among the flowers."ByakuyaOC. Post Winter War Rated T for now.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Hello all and welcome to my story! I know some of you may be wondering why I chose a Nirvana song for the title. I can assure you, this is not a song-fic, or anything like that. There are two theories about why Tite Kubo decided to name his anime _Bleach_, one of them being that he named it after a Nirvana album and since I (much like Tite Kubo) enjoy Nirvana, I decided to name this fanfiction after a Nirvana song! I am going to keep the reason for choosing this particular song a secret, but don't worry, all shall be revealed soon! :)

Thanks for reading! Comments and constructive criticsm is and will always be welcomed!

Also, I'm not going to waste my time or yours by including some sort of disclaimer about how I don't own Bleach. Obviously I don't own Bleach. If I did I wouldn't be writing fanfiction, I would be writing the show.

Enjoy! :)

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I sucked air in between my teeth so sharply that the whistling could be heard throughout the room. _Last time, you can do this. One and done._ I extended my leg out, pointed my toes, and...fell flat on the floor.

I released the breath that I hadn't realized I had been holding and slammed a fist on the ground. Thankfully, all my instructors and colleagues had gone home for the remainder of the evening so they weren't forced to bear witness to my shameful endeavor. I rested my face on the floor. _I'm too tense_. I could feel the muscles in my face tugging into a frown. Pressing my face into the cool wood of the floor I exhaled slowly once more. At this point in the game, tense should be my middle name. There were only six months left until I debuted my senior showcase and I had almost no progress to show for it.

Even more frustrated I sat back up, slowly relaxing my tense muscles as I prepped for another run. I snapped open my two fans and placed myself into starting position, with my left hand placed just above my face with the fan dangling over my features and my right hand posed underneath it, fan extended. Taking another deep breath, in a desperate effort to calm myself down, I began.

As I danced, swirling my fans around my body, I searched deep for the purpose behind my motions. Since this dance was silent, I was relying solely on body language and facial expressions to communicate my intentions to the audience. The idea behind the senior showcase was to create a final series of pieces that demonstrated how you've grown as an artist. I was trying (and failing) at demonstrating how I had first begun to dance. My first taste of the art came to me when I was ten years old, first beginning my training as a fledgling miko.

Part of my daily duties (besides cleaning the shrine) was to practice ceremonial dance in preparation for important rituals. After that, I devoured any type of dance I could get my hands on. My favorite by far, was ballet. With each plie I mastered, I fell in love. My family considered it a little too Western for their tastes, but it mattered not to me. So the first part (and by far the easiest to choreograph) was a more traditional dance and then from there it evolved (or _devolved_ if you were my Grandpa) into classical ballet.

It was just that damn transition that I couldn't get down. I flourished my hand once more, bringing my fans forward, flipping one, catching it and closing them. I was nearing my last pose. I breathed in deeply, I could feel the sweat pooling on my forehead. I lifted my leg high above my head, higher, higher, _almost there_. _Now! _I threw myself off my axis and began to spin into a series of foutes. It was in the midst of these foutes that I would conclude my transformation into a modern college student. I envisioned myself throwing away my fans and tossing off my robes.

Wait.

My robes.

_Shit! Ojiisan! _And with that last thought in mind, my concentration broke, as did my fluidity, which sent me reeling forwards onto the floor. On my face. Excellent. I groaned audibly. I had forgotten that I was supposed to be meeting with my Grandpa to practice meditation and cleansing. I looked down at my watch. If I sprinted the two miles back to the shrine, I would only be ten minutes late. _And only two limbs short_. I smirked at the thought. Boy, was I going to get it.

I blazed through the streets of Tokyo barefoot, not even bothering to put my shoes back on. I loved the feeling of my barefeet slapping on the concrete. Nearly twenty minutes later, I was only five minutes late. I bowed beneath the ornate Torii. Seeing no sign of Ojiisan I offered a silent thank you to the Gods. It would seem that he was late as well. _Maybe I could just sneak in right around the…_

"-TSUKIKO! Does punctuality mean _nothing_ to you?!" A gruff voice bellowed from behind me. I turned around flinching. _Busted_. I bowed deeply to my Grandpa, head priest of our family shrine.

"Hai, Ojiisan, I'm sorry I was late, practice ran-"

"I care not for pathetic excuses from a tardy _miko_!" Ojiisan snapped his fan shut...on the back of my head. I stood up rubbing the tender spot on the back of my head.

"Furthermore, how _dare_ you dishonor our ancestors by parading out in public in _that!_" He thumped the fan against my head again. It was only then that I realized my disheveled appearance. I had sprinted through the streets of Tokyo wearing only my skin tight black leotard, and leg warmers. _Shit_! If there was one thing Ojiisan hated worse than tardiness, it was immodesty. The scantily clad dance attire that ballet dancers were routinely ordered to wear just gave my Grandpa _another_ reason to hate it all the more.

"Get out of my sight and don't return until you are properly dressed and _bathed_! Honestly child, you stink. How can we hope to commune with the spirits when your smell is scaring them off?" Ojiisan turned on his heel and stalked off.

"Uh-oh, I think someone's upset," a serene voice echoed off from my right. I didn't need to turn, I already knew who it was. Hachiko-dono and my Aunt exited one of the storage rooms, their kimonos swirling about their legs gracefully. My aunt was carrying several large boxes of mismatched size.

"Obasan, please allow me," I ran up to her, sheepishly (I was after all, mostly naked). My aunt stifled a giggle as I relieved her of her parcels.

"Sounds like someone's late again," Obasan smiled. Her father had luckily raised her to be much more forgiving than he was.

"Hai, I was working on my senior showcase and I lost track of time."

"Oh my, _senior showcase_? Setsuka-san, doesn't that just sound _lovely_. I wish I could attend, I do so love to see you dance, miko-chan," Hachiko-dono said crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Hai Hachiko-dono, I would love for you to be there as well, but since you're unable, perhaps I can give you a special performance when it's ready!" I said setting the boxes down.

"Yes," Obasan said ruffling my hair, "I'm sure Hachi-dono and the others would love that."

"Maybe after Tsukiko-chan's recital we can talk again about crossing over, Hachiko-dono," Obasan rested her hand on Hachiko's shoulder, or what _would_ have been her shoulder.

"Perhaps we shall," Hachiko-dono flashed me a coy smile and wink, as she straightened one of the many layers of kimono she always wore.

See, Hachiko wasn't _really_ there, at least not in the sense that my aunt and I are. To the family, she was as physical a presence as any other person, but to an outsider, she was invisible, and that's because Hachiko was dead. And had been, by the looks of her clothing, for a long time. Hachiko-san's spirit was one of the first I was able to see, back when I was _first_ coming into my spiritual powers. I believe I was three. My Obasan had been communing with her for much longer, and as was her mother before her. We weren't sure who Hachiko-dono was in her previous life, but judging by the many layers of expensive kimono and ornate headpieces she wore it was safe to say that it was somebody important. Ojisan was of the mind that she was of imperial blood, which isn't such a lofty accusation considering our shrine had once been part of the royal court.

High spiritual awareness was something that our family was gifted with. When I was a child, this used to frighten me. Sometimes spirits would present themselves to me, expecting help, but as a toddler, I was obviously in no position to come to their aid. The spirits would then grow more and more persistent as their souls became more and more restless. Then of course, there were always _those_ spirits too. The bad ones. The ones with vengeance and malice so deep in their soul, it swallowed them up, consuming everything in its path. I used to see those a lot as well, but not so much anymore.

Nobody in my family could really tell me why that was. Ojiisan attributed it to his fantastic (sarcasm) and rigorous (unfortunately accurate) training regimen he had implemented after my tenth birthday. Obasan had her own theory, much to her father's chagrin. She believed it was the spirit of my departed parents, laying a watchful eye on me. Whatever the case, I was just glad I didn't have to deal with it anymore. It had been twelve years of peace and quiet and for that I was thankful.

"What's in the boxes, Obasan?" I asked.

"Nothing that you should concern yourself with right now, I think it best that you leave this for Hachiko-san and myself and go ready yourself for your studies."

I suppressed an audible sigh as I bowed to the ladies and wished them goodnight. Ojiisan was in some kind of mood tonight, and the way things were looking, his temperament was most likely _not_ going to be improving anytime soon.

Much to my dismay, I ran through my shower quickly. Although every fiber of my being wanted nothing more than to soak in our tub, I knew that further delaying my training would just piss Ojiisan off even more than he already was.

Tying the last sash of my hakama, I slipped on my tabi socks, and sandals and all but sprinted to our main shrine house. I paused outside the door, smoothing my red locks so that they fell in soft waves around my face. Ojiisan despised an unkempt appearance. Taking a deep breath, I pried open the screen. Wordlessly I bowed low to both the fire and my Grandpa. Ojiisan sat in front of the roaring fire a serene look on his otherwise grumpy features. I couldn't help but notice how young he looked without his characteristic frown deepening the lines of his cheeks.

"Ah, Tsukiko-chan, thank you for gracing us with your presence," he snapped an eye open, swiveling it in my direction. "Sit."

I stifled a yawn as I assumed seiza next to my Grandpa. Meditation was always most difficult when the body was exhausted. _But if I fall asleep again Ojiisan will have my head_! I flinched as the memory of our _last_ session came to mind.

"Now, miko, please center yourself and breathe with me…" Ojiisan's voice trailed off, as he punctuated his words with a loud inhalation. I followed suit.

It was not long before I drifted into a tranquil state. As I breathed, I could feel myself slipping through the rings of consciousness. Deeper...and deeper...and deeper still, until I took my final breath and opened my eyes to reveal myself. I had finally landed into my inner world and it was beautiful.

It was serene in a way that the city of Tokyo often was not. A large ornate palace rose out of the darkness. Much of the palace's details were not able to be revealed to me in the inky night, but from what I did observe it seemed to be a classic feudal Japanese palace, with high sloping roofs and columns fashioned from the finest wood.

Just like all my visits, I was seated in the seiza position (a proper miko indeed, eh Ojiisan?) in what appeared to be one of the palace's gardens. I say "appeared" because I am not really sure. Usually, I was unable to move. I was only able to maintain this level of consciousness for several minutes, which was a decided improvement from my first few visits.

The stars were as bright as ever. I traced the blinking constellations with my eyes. Although this world provided no light, it was never dark or scary. The stars and the moon beamed down bright enough to illuminate much of the surrounding grass tickled my bare feet. _Wait _bare_ now there's a change. _Usually along with the paralysis, I was numb to this world. _I wonder…_

I took several deep breaths and willed my littlest toe to move. Reluctantly it obeyed. I tried again, this time with the other foot. I was met with success there as well. Next I tried to move my fingers. Unfortunately that's where I lost it. I bid the night goodbye as I watched the last of the stars being snuffed out as I fell out of my unconscious world.

I was thrust into reality with a start. I looked over at the silent man next to me. "Ojiisan! Ojiisan!" I yelled grasping his shoulder!

"Good gracious child, what is it?" My Grandpa gasped as I jolted him out of his meditative state.

"I did it! I did it!" I leapt out of the seiza position in excitement.

"What did you find my child?" Ojiisan's usually gruff voice held a hint of excitement.

"Well, nothing yet, but I was able to move my extremities a little bit!"

While Ojiisan didn't appear to be as thrilled as I was, it was still enough to soften his demeanor. "Excellent miko-chan, now sit. Today we read the flames." Although my aching joints complained, I reluctantly settled back into seiza on the mat next to him.

"With posture that is becoming of a priestess, please," He quipped. I sighed loudly, straightening my back.

"Ojiisan?"

"Yes, miko-chan,"

"Do we have to? Last time I singed my hai-"

Before I could finish he interjected, "Do not attempt to shirk off your duties! You've spent enough time avoiding the flames."

I let out another hefty sigh. If he heard it, he didn't acknowledge it.

"Are you centered?"

"Hai, Ojiisan."

"Let us begin."

I sucked in another large breath of air as the heat from the flames licked my face.

We began the ritual by calling on the first word of power, "Rin!" I made the first sign. The other's quickly followed, "Pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen!" I was surprised by how surely my hands moved through the movements. Usually that was the part that I always botched. I flicked the final hand sign and exhaled. The flames roared to life. I gazed deeply into the fire, not expecting much, and that's when I saw it.

Images danced across my eyes: _A bed, a splash of crimson, slate gray eyes, and a face frozen in the middle of a scream._ The images danced faster and faster now across the back of my eyelids, until they were running together on a loop.

_A bed, a splash of crimson, slate gray eyes, and a face frozen in the middle of a scream._ I was no longer at the temple.

_A bed, a splash of crimson, slate gray eyes, and a face frozen in the middle of a scream. _ I was...on a bed.

_A bed, a splash of crimson, slate gray eyes, and a face frozen in the middle of a scream. _I was bleeding, and _I_ was the face screaming as the slate gray eyes cut through the darkness. They held so much _pain_. _A bed, a splash of crimson, slate gray eyes, and a face frozen in the middle of a scream... _

"AAAAAH. MAKE IT STOP!" I thrust the palms of my hands into my eye sockets. My whole body began to involuntarily quake.

"Evil spirit, be exorcised! _Akuryō Taisan!"_

My body dropped in a heap on the mat, almost as if I were a puppet with her strings cut. I was vaguely aware of cool hands lifting me up and then a soft wind caressing my face as I was carried away from the shrine and into the main house.

"Setsuka! A cold cloth please!" Ojiisan threw open the door to our house and carried me to the sofa.

"What's the matter! What's happened?" I could hear Obasan's voice take on a more shrill tone, a tone I had not heard her use since my parents passing. I wanted to reassure her that I was alright, but I didn't have the strength. My eyelids were heavy with the images I had seen, and although it was not my wish for them to close, that's what they did.

"Sleep now Tsukiko-chan, that's my girl...sleep…"

That night, I dreamt in shades of red. It was opaque. I was powerless against it. The only thing I could do was chase after a pair of gun metal gray eyes, but try as I may, I never caught up to them.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Two chapter updates in two days! WOO. I'm actually going to try and post another update or two in the next few days! I know this chapter and the one before it are more exposition and if you're anything like me, that can get kind of boring pretty quick. SO HAVE NO FEAR, PLOT IS NEAR. :)

Like always, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy getting to know my character and if you have any questions or comments don't hesitate to ask/review!

* * *

I blinked my eyes against the harsh light. I had the distinct feeling that I had been sleeping a long time, although I felt no more rested than I had before my _episode_.

"Ah, there she is," Obasan had a smile on her face as she breezed through the room. She threw open the curtains which garnered a shriek from me. "Oh come now Tsukiko-chan, you've been asleep all day. It's two o'clock, way past time to rise and shine. Please get ready quickly! Me and Ojiisan, are almost ready for lunch. He wants to speak with you about a few things, actually, we _both_ would like a word with you."

Obasan left the room, closing the screen behind her. I glanced around the room. I was in my flannel pajamas on my futon. I sighed heavily and gazed out the window._ I've been asleep for over fifteen hours? Where has the time gone?_ Throwing off my covers, I folded my futon up neatly, and changed into my robes. No point in showering when I was just going to spend my Saturday cleaning the temple.

"Ah, Tsukiko-chan!" Hachiko-dono smiled warmly as I walked into the kitchen. Obasan was busy placing out the remainder of our meal.

"Good morning, Hachiko-dono, I hope you are well," I said bowing politely to her.

"As well as ever," her smile grew wider.

"Forgive me, Hachiko-dono, but Setsuka and I would like a world alone with our young miko" Ojiisan said blowing on his tea. Hachiko-dono dipped her head in acknowledgement of my Grandpa's request and with a gentle sway of her kimono, she was gone. _They made Hachi-dono leave, this must be more serious than I thought_.

"How are you feeling Tsukiko?" Ojiisan's eyes appraised me slowly.

"Right as rain," I affirmed.

"Well, your Obasan and I would like to talk with you about what you saw last night," His gaze was intense.

"I don't," I wet my lips. My throat suddenly felt very, very dry. I could feel my breath catch. My Aunt flashed me her signature, "don't-talk-back-to-your-elders-we-raised-you-better-than-that" look. My hand instantly reached for my locket. I had developed a nasty habit of fiddling with it when I was uncomfortable, a habit my Ojiisan did not approve of in the slightest. He cleared his throat, bidding me to continue.

"Aijou, give her time," Obasan fixed him with a deadly glare, "Go ahead Miko-chan."

I ran my hand over the textured exterior of my locket, choosing my words carefully. "Well, I had just called upon the last word of power, when these images just started flashing over my eyes. I couldn't control them, they just kept coming. The same images over and over and over again," I kept my gaze on the floor. I licked my lips, "A bed, a person screaming, and a pair of eyes," I placed my hands on my head as the images threatened to once again overwhelm me. I did not tell them that the figure in the vision was me.

"Miko-chan," My Grandpa placed his hand on my shoulder, "It sounds as though you were either having a premonition or you were under attack from a spirit . Did you recognize any of the images?"

I shook my head, "No, I recognized no one Ojiisan." I was surprised at how quick the lie was to leave my lips. I had been having premonitions since I was ten years old, but never this violent. It was with great urgency that the images flashed in front of my eyes, not the usual lazy day pace with which I was accustomed. Usually my premonitions predicted things very near in the future. A pot of water about to be knocked off the stove, the occasional test question, that sort of thing. Ojiisan said my spiritual powers were not large enough for anything more advanced than that.

"Well," Ojiisan frowned into his mug of tea, "we can only assume based on your prior history that it wasn't a premonition. Especially considering the violent manner with which these images presented themselves. We must perform a cleansing soon." Ojiisan said staring into his mug. He seemed to become lost within its murky waters.

"Did you have your locket on yesterday Tsukiko?" Obasan placed the last bowl down on the table. The spread she had laid out before us was beautiful, and yet no one ate a bite.

"No Obasan, I forgot to put it back on after practice."

"Hmm," Ojiisan broke apart his chopsticks, helping himself to a bit of tamagoyaki.

"What did we tell you about that locket?" Obasan sighed. I stifled a groan, as I broke apart my own chopsticks. _Mostly a lot of useless nonsense_, I thought. That's what I _wanted_ to say, but I was too tired to be beaten with Ojiisan's trademark fan again, so instead I tried to muster my most apologetic grin, "That I should never take it off?"

"Hai, and do you remember why?" My Grandpa stuffed another bite of egg into his mouth.

"Because it's a precious family heirloom?" I deadpanned.

My Grandpa's forest green eyes narrowed dangerously, while my Obasan just frowned. I tried to hide my shame behind a gulp of flaming lava hot tea; a bad move on my choice.

"Tsukiko-chan, this pendant has been passed down from generation to generation for over a century now. It's a powerful artifact that is _sacred_ to our family," Obasan said setting down her bowl of rice. "This locket is just not some piece of jewelry and your mother did not just give it to you so you would have something to remember her by, she gave you this locket to protect you. If you take care of it, it will take care of you. Don't you remember those vengeful spirits that used to plague you?"

I shook my head yes, how could I forget something like that?

"That locket," Obasan jabbed a slender finger in my direction, "is the reason they've been unable to harm you. You _must_ take it with you wherever you go!" Obasan sipped her tea slowly.

"Why do you think we've insisted you train so vigorously?" Ojiisan quipped. "It's to protect you. You must learn how to ward off these visions and spirits."

I sipped my miso slowly, considering this new information. I suppose that wasn't too far off from the mark. Spiritual awareness did run in the family. My mother had premonitions as well, although hers were much more accurate and intricate than mine were.

"Alright I hear you, I'll keep it with me." My relatives seemed to find my answer satisfactory enough as they carried on with their meal and never brought the incident up again.

"Tsukiko, I want you to take the day off. I know you must be returning to University early tomorrow so why don't you get some rest," Ojiisan ruffled my hair before leaving the table. I tried not to stare at him as though he had just sprouted a second head, but I think I might have failed. Obasan hid a laugh behind a mouthful of rice.

"Honestly, my father isn't a _total_ workaholic Tsuki" Obasan said chuckling. _Yeah, sure he isn't_…

Obasan and I finished lunch up quickly. I hadn't had a free Saturday off in a very long while, and since I had missed _most_ of it I was determined not to waste anymore. I dashed up to my room, grabbed my ballet gear and a book and was preparing to dash out the door when I ran (literally) head first into Grandpa.

"Ojiisan, forgive me," I bowed.

"Hmm, you have to pay more attention to where you're going child," His gruff tone had returned.

"You're right, I was just in a hurry, I have a lot of things I wanted to do today."

Ojiisan frowned, "Well, take it easy today, you _do_ need some rest and here take this," he handed a small parcel to me. "Setsuka prepared it for you. If you _must_ spend all day locked in that studio, then you have to stay nourished." I took the bento box from my Grandpa, kissing his cheek in thanks. He may not be entirely thrilled about my career in ballet, but he was still supportive of it. Or at least, he was trying to be.

I ran (this time with shoes on) through the city, not stopping until I reached the steps of my old studio. It may not be new and shiny like the studio at my university, but it was comfortable and familiar. Much like the shrine, it was a home for me.

"Tsukiko-chan! I didn't think you would be stopping in today. Are you going to help teach the lesson?"

"Midori-sensei! It's good to see you!" I bowed to my old teacher, "Yes, my Ojiisan actually gave me a saturday off! So if it's okay with you, I would love to help out at the studio!"

"Okay, just take it easy today!" Midori-sensei squeezed my shoulder encouragingly before breezing past me into the studio.

Besides reading and dancing, teaching dance was one of my favorite pastimes. It was not only a great way to reinforce my skills, but I took great pleasure in helping my sensei. After everything she had done for me growing up, this was the least I could do. Unfortunately, between my studies and my training at the temple, I didn't get to do it very often. Perhaps one or two times a month, but I try to visit my old sensei at least once a week. Since I practically _grew_ up on the dance floor, she was as much a maternal figure to me as my Obasan or my actual mother.

"Good afternoon class!" Midori-sensei greeted the gaggle of young adolescents before her. I had come just in time to help with the intermediate dance class, a particular favorite of mine. "I have some great news! Tsukiko-chan is going to be helping us today, so please everyone pay attention and work hard!" Midori's closing announcement was met with much excitement and a parade of acknowledgements. _They're sure as lively as ever_, I thought flashing Midori-sensei a smile. Managing all of this energy was sure to be a challenge.

And it was. I ended up staying for several hours until the studio was closed. I bid my sensei goodnight, and told her I would most likely be seeing her next week. Unlike the last few times, I did not sprint the two miles back to the shrine. I walked (fully clothed) in a lazy pace, just taking in the crisp March air. It had rained while we were in the studio. The smell of wet pavement wafted around me. I looked at the small watch on my wrist. _Seven thirty...Well, I've probably missed dinner by now._ I looked down at the small bento box tucked in my bag. I had completely forgotten about food, something that was strange for me. I attributed it to last night's bad experience. I was still feeling slightly off, something that did not go unnoticed in my dancing.

Hearing my stomach gurgle, I decided to salvage the last vestiges of the dusk hour and eat my lunch-uhm, dinner. I plopped down on a small bench at the entrance of the park a few blocks from the shrine. I was two bites into my rice ball when a chill crept up my back. I glanced over my shoulder. A gust of wind tossed a strand of my red hair in front of my face. I could have sworn I saw a darkened figure ghosting across my periphery. I tugged on the pendant around my neck. I was becoming _very_ nervous, _very _quickly. I tucked the stray strand behind my ear. I could feel my eyes straining as they tried to observe the darkened forest behind me. I saw nothing, but I could not shake the chill that was still taking root in my spine. Fear began to pool in the pit of my stomach as I remembered my vision from yesterday.

_Yup, it's time to go!_ I tossed my rice ball on the ground, gathered my bento and bag and sprinted the rest of the way to the temple, never so much as glancing over my shoulder. I knew whatever was in the park, was still there. Watching me. Waiting.

The next morning, my Ojiisan roused me early. I may have escaped cleaning the temple yesterday, but not today. For the first four hours of my Sunday morning, I swept, scrubbed, and mopped the temple grounds. Our spring cleaning was interrupted by my Obasan who announced that lunch was nearing. After sitting down to a quiet lunch, I packed my bag, and set off for the train station.

Although it was only a short walk to the train station I kept a brisk pace. The same chill that spread through my body last night, was threatening to do the same now. It felt as though a ghostly finger was traveling down my spine. I quickened my pace as the station came into view from around the corner. I punched my ticket, boarded the train, and sat down. The first thing I did was check the view from my window for any dark figures. _I'm losing it_, I thought massaging my temples. I didn't see anything abnormal but I still _felt_ eyes on me. I fingered the pendant around my neck. Interestingly enough it was hot to the touch. Usually the gold pendant was cool, but now it had a mysterious heat. I ran my fingers across the face of the locket remembering my Obasan's words.

She had said it was to protect me from vengeful spirits. Could it be possible that that was the reason I felt some uncomfortably last night and today? Was I encountering a troubled soul? I suppose it was possible. _But how can I cleanse the spirit if I can't _see_ it?_ I frowned down at the necklace. _I suppose I could just take it off. Maybe that would restore my sight_. I glanced down at the locket again.

By modern jewelry standards, it was gaudy, but still beautiful. The pendant was circular in shape and approximately two inches in diameter. The face of the pendant was slightly domed, instead of the usual flat of other lockets. Small clusters of diamonds were scattered throughout the front. I didn't need to open the pendant to see what was inside. There was a small hole in the domed lid of the pendant, that allowed a view into the inside inscription. A single kanji, the word for _star_, was inscribed on the inside of the pendant.

I often admired my mother as she wore this pendant. It was very beautiful, _especially_ to a small child. I used to love the way the diamonds reflected in the light, just like the stars. When I was young, my mother would tuck me into bed and tell me the story. If I closed my eyes and focused hard I could hear her voice.

"_Long ago," _was always how her tale began_, "A mortal princess fell in love, but the princess did not just love any mortal man. She had fallen in love with the God of Souls and even though he was very much in love with her as well, she was not allowed to be with him because she was human. Only deities could travel between the worlds. In order to fix this, he plucked a star down from the heavens and sent it to her. This star would take her anywhere her love was, no matter what realm, and return her safely whenever she wished to leave." _

I opened my eyes, rubbing my fingers along the locket's face. I could almost smell the lotus flower lotion she wore on her hands. I gazed down at my pendant smiling fondly with the memories. The piece of "star" that the God plucked from the heavens was rumored to have been contained in the inside of the very locket around my neck. Mom must have told me that story at least a thousand times while I was growing up and I still never tired of it.

The first day after I heard the story, I remember waking up early and dressing in my finest kimono (well the finest kimono a four year old could have) and declaring that I was the new ruler of the lands! That's where the nickname "Hime-sama" began. Apparently, I could be quite the diva. _I miss them_, I thought thumping my hand against the train windowsill. _Well at any rate, I'm far too old for stories such as those. _

I closed my eyes, sighing against the pane of glass. In my head I recounted the vast amounts of homework assignments and rehearsal times I had to attend. It was shaping up to be a busy week indeed, but I had no doubt that I could handle it. I've had much worse weeks. The only portion which worried me was oddly enough my favorite portion: dance rehearsal. I still needed to choreograph most of my senior showcase. I sighed once more, my eyes searching out those of the people nearest me.

I was still struggling to make sense of my premonition. So far I had come up empty. Nobody I knew possessed a pair of slate gray eyes. I had also never seen a bed similar to the one in my premonition either. I suppressed the urge to shudder at the memory. It wasn't a very welcoming bed. I shut my eyes as I tried to conjure the image. It was a queen sized, wrought iron bed. No pillows, sheets, or blankets covered the dingy surface of the bed. The only adornments were the large patches of brown that tarnished the surface. _Blood_, the word came to my mind, _they were patches of dried blood_. I had _definitely_ never seen a bed like that. _I hope I never have to either..._This time I was not able to suppress my shudder.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: HELLO AGAIN!** So true to my word this is my third update in three days and best of all we are slowly getting into some of the actual storyline! YAY STORYLINE. Anyway, thank you to the people who have favorite-d/placed this story in their watch list! Seeing the counts go up makes me incredibly eager to write! As always reviews are welcome! I would love to know (particularly after this chapter) what everyone thinks of my characters!

Also, as much as it pains me, I probably won't be able to post an update for at least a day or two. I broke my middle finger yesterday and typing has become a little difficult! -_-' Only me.

Anyway, I thank you for taking the time to read this story and would appreciate any feedback you can provide! Enjoy! :)

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"Oi, excuse me," A voice called out after me, "You dropped this." I turned around just in time to see an orange haired boy. In his hand he held my pale pink pointe shoe.

"Oh! Thank you so much! I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to get much work done if I'd lost it!" I exclaimed taking the missing shoe from him.

"Hey, it was no trouble. Take care!" He gave me a friendly grin before walking off hurriedly. I tucked the stray shoe safely into my bag, before heading out towards my next class, which was regrettably biology.

The day passed in much the same fashion, I flitted from class to class until mercifully I was finished, although my day was far from over. I had ballet practice from four to seven, and then open studio from seven until ten. _At least ballet is something that I _enjoy_ doing, unlike biology_. I shuddered at the memory of my biology lab. We were dissecting. _Disgusting_, I thought. The poor frog, pinned down to my pan, reminded me too much of my dream.

_No! Don't think about it! We have to get this right tonight! _I literally shook the thoughts out of my head, as I finished my afternoon stretches. Ludmilla-sensei, a very famous dancer from Russia, stood at the front of the room commanding our attentions. _Time to get started!_ I flexed my feet once more before assuming first position.

Practice seemed to pass much quicker than usual and before I really knew what was happening, Ludmilla-sensei was dismissing class. I walked into the locker room with the rest of my classmates. I had been wanting to rehearse more of my piece tonight, but I suddenly felt very tired. _I should heed Midori-sensei's advice. I think I pushed it too hard yesterday_. I needed a nice long bath, and perhaps a small jog around my neighborhood. _Yes_, I thought shedding my sweat soaked leotard_, a jog around campus does sound nice_.

I walked the few blocks back to my apartment sluggishly. My body felt as though it were being crushed by a weighty presence. My apartment was nearly in sight when I felt the familiar chill spread along my spine. I couldn't move. It was as if the ice that crept up my spine, had spread throughout my veins, trapping me in place. _Just breathe_, I chided. I thought back to the earlier train ride. _It's probably just a poor soul_. I tried to slow my frantic breathing down. It was time to put a stop to this, I needed to perform a cleansing. _This is much too public_, I thought looking around at all my fellow classmates. I would look fifty shades of insane, if I started trying to communicate with a spirit right in the middle of campus.

I was about to set off in the direction of the park, when I felt the spirit's presence abbate. All the air left my body in a large _whoosh_. This spirit must be pretty pissed to have that much force. I didn't stick around to contemplate its motives, instead I chose to book it straight to the apartment! _Maybe I would get to relax after all_.

After my encounter outside with that spirit, I decided it was probably best to stay inside for the night. Although it was my job as a miko to cleanse souls, something about _this _spirit told me it was going to put up a fight, and I was in no hurry to tackle that alone. _Maybe I can hold off a little longer, just until I go back to the shrine_. I scrubbed my body a second time, relishing in the suds for just a little bit longer than necessary. There was no doubt in my mind that it wouldn't follow me back to my shrine in Karakura Town. It wanted something from me, that much was certain. _But what?_

I pulled the plug in my tub. I was exhausted. _Time for some much needed rest_. I dressed in my favorite pair of flannel pajamas and snuggled deep underneath the covers. I didn't care that it was barely nine o'clock, I was beat! It wasn't long before I drifted peacefully off to sleep.

I dreamed of a voice calling to me.

"...Hime-sama...Hime-sama…"

I opened my eyes slowly to reveal what should have been the familiar garden of my inner world. However, this visit brought anything but familiarity. The garden was cloaked in a rich darkness. The inky night extinguished all sources of light in the sky. I would not have known I was in my inner world, if it were not for the familiar position I found myself awake in and the smell of fresh cut flowers. "Seiza? Why must it always be seiza!?"

"Hime-sama…" the voice beckoned to me. I looked around for the source, but as always, I was alone.

"Who's there?" I called, I was surprised to hear my own voice.

"Go...they need….please…" The voice was very faint, no more than a gentle hush. I was only able to hear every few words.

"Who? Who needs me?!" Panic was beginning to set in now. That was a feeling I was not used to having in this world.

"Ojii….he's there...help."

That was all it took. "WAKE UP!" I screamed at myself.

I shot out of bed landing unceremoniously on the floor. _Ojiisan_, I thought. I ran to the phone, punching in the familiar digits of the main house. Something was horribly, horribly wrong. The phone rang and rang but nobody came to answer it. "_Shit!" _I threw on my shoes and a coat. _Eleven thirty...If I run I can make the last train_.

Even through my jacket the chilly spring air bit through my skin. This March was promising to be the coldest one yet, but I paid no attention. I knew my body would adjust the longer I ran. Once I reached the train station I hastily purchased a ticket, ignoring the strange looks I was attracting. _Probably should have put on something decent_. If this turned out to just be paranoia Ojiisan was going to be pissed. A nagging feeling clinging to the deepest part of me knew that it wasn't just paranoia; something was terribly wrong. I flipped my phone open trying to call the house once more.

Over the course of the forty five minute train ride back to Karakura Town I called the house over fifty times. Each phone call went unanswered. The small sliver of panic that I had on the train was threatening to blossom into a full blown anxiety attack. I ran the few blocks back to the shrine with icicles in my veins.

I approached the steps of the shrine with caution. Nothing _felt_ out of place, still I knew somewhere in the murky depths evil was lurking. "Could my vision have been wrong?" I said aloud to myself. I wasn't expecting to be met with an answer so imagine my surprise when I received one.

"Ha...ha...ha, what do we have _here_?" I turned around to meet the voice. Nobody was there. I balked at the disembodied voice. I could have sworn the voice came from above. I searched the skies my mouth wide open. _Nobody's there...unless…_ I gazed down tentatively at my locket which was blazing with an unfamiliar heat. _This is no ordinary spirit_. I peeled off the pendant around my throat, offering a silent prayer that Obasan wouldn't discover my broken promise.

Finally, I could _see_. A man, or something close, before me. He was dressed strangely. He wore a white hakama and haori, with a black jacket, and a large katana strapped to his waist. The katana that not the most troubling part by far. On the side of his face was a piece of what looked like a _skull_ and he was floating high above me.

"A priestess, eh? You don't look like one, but orders are orders. You must be the one I'm looking for, although I kind of wish you weren't, my blade and I would _love_ to get to know a sweet thing like you. I bet those screams are," he licked his lips, "delicious."

"W-who," my throat was desert dry, "who are you? _What_ are you? What have you done with my family?" I implored as the man came to rest on the top of the torii gate. _Ojiisan would roll over and die if he saw this type of blatant disrespect_. I grit my teeth.

"Jeez, what is it with you broads and asking questions? Shouldn't you be more concerned with escaping?" His eyes flickered dangerously as he reached for his katana. He zoomed towards me, sword outstretched. A scream hitched in my throat as I jumped to the side. _I've got to get away from the temple! _I fled down the stairs, I could feel the man-er-_thing's_ breath on the nape of my neck.

"Where to run little girl? That's the question isn't it?"

I ignored his taunts as I sprinted down the street. My pendant was still clutched in my hand. _Curiosity killed the cat_ I thought as I ran into the wooded park area where just days before I had eaten dinner, or at least _tried_ to. I got the feeling that this thing was responsible for all of my disturbing feelings.

"Run, run, run as fast as you can little one," The creature taunted as I borrowed myself deeper and deeper into the woods. I had to get as far away as possible, I didn't want that _thing_ coming after anyone else.

"A most excellent choice in deed, priestess. Now no one can hear your screams," He said appearing in front of me. "My Lord told me not to kill you, _but_he never said I couldn't have any _fun_ with you," He placed on hand thoughtfully on his chin, his black hair gleaming in the moonlight, "I wonder how much pressure it will take to break those bones of yours?" He disappeared out of state, reappearing behind me.

"What do you think priestess?" His rancid breath sprayed over my neck. My breath hitched in my throat. _I can't move..._My grip around the locket tightened. "Why won't you answer me?!" He roared. Just having the locket near me made flooded me with a warming sensation, that served to chase away the icicles of fear that were gathering in my body.

"Honestly, I was too distracted by the smell of your foul breath," I spat my words vehemently at him. Using the necklace still clutched in my sweaty palm, I whipped the locket across his face. I was hoping to distract him long enough so that I could find somewhere to hide. My breath hitched in my throat as he touched a hand to his cheek. _Not even a scratch_. He tilted his head and laughed wildly, almost like a hyena crying at the moon.

"You little _bitch_!" The creature's arm snaked out from behind his back as he shoved me away violently. I sailed backwards across the forest, my back painfully colliding with a tree. The creature was almost an arms length away when I pulled a sutra out of the inside of my shirt, tossing the paper seal in his face, I quickly performed the hand sign and called out, "Evil spirit, be exorcised! _Akuryō Taisan!" _

"Hahaha, you think your pathetic spells will work on _me_? An _espada_?!" The creature chuckled prying the scroll off his face while I balked. _Why didn't my sutra work?_ The failure of my charm confirmed my earlier suspicion: this was no ordinary spirit.

"Why don't you use those lips for something more pleasurable, like _screaming_?" The creature chuckled once more as he gathered me up by the collar of my shirt. "Perhaps my sword can make you sing." I watched as he raised his katana, the dark steel of the blade glinted in the pale moonlight. He placed the cold steel tip on the side of my abdomen and pressed. Slowly. Reluctantly, the tip of the blade sank into my left abdomen. At first I was able to quell the anguished cry that threatened to tear its way out of my throat, but the more The blade disappeared, the harder it became to repress. He jerked the katana upwards, a spray of blood oozed out of my punctured abdomen. I tilted my head back, my mouth frozen in a wide open "O" as the screams tore from my lungs. He jerked the blade once more, literally twisting the knife in my gut. Even though I knew he was delighting in my pained cries, I could not stop the outpour.

"That's my girl," the creature chuckled again close to my ear. His vile tongue snaked its way out of his mouth and licked a drop of blood off of my cheek.

"An arrancar huh? Don't you have anything better to do than pick on poor defenseless women?" A voice cut through the darkness. I tried to look back at the figure the voice belonged to, but the agony of my wound was too great. The creature ripped his blade from my abdomen before tossing me hard to the ground. I skidded twenty feet before collapsing in a tangle of limbs. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I tried to swim through the endless sea of pain. I welcomed unconsciousness, Hell, I even _begged_ for it, but my pleas went on silent ears. All I could do was lay tethered at the shore, as the waves of pain crashed down upon me, trapping me within their icy depths.

"Renji, go to her," The voice called out.

"I think not _shinigami_," the creature roared, "My master requires her presence."

"Not that I really give a damn, but just who is this _master_ of yours," The faceless voice chided. I curled my body into a small ball, my eyes pressed tightly closed. _Shinigami? I suppose that makes sense considering that I'm dying_. I was vaguely aware of another presence near me. I gave a frightened whimper which only brought the creatures cruel gaze back to me. I pressed my hand to my bleeding side, trying desperately to smother the rising flames that were licking at my flesh.

"What do you think you're doing?" The creature snarled, "Cerro!" a blast of red light discharged from the palm of his hand. I closed my eyes against the harsh light that threatened to envelop me. Although I could feel the heat of the approaching blast, no fire singed my skin. As the waves of pain rolled over me, I had the distinct sensation of floating.

"Renji! Get her out of here! I'll deal with this one," The voice called. I tried to open my eyes, but each lid must have weighed a thousand pounds, so it was with a half-lidded gaze that I peered into the face of my savior. Had I been in control of my emotional faculties I would have laughed. _Saved by a red pineapple?_ Through the haze I was able to make out a few details of my savior. The figure whose arms I currently resided in, had a sharp angular face, with a mane of long red hair, that was pinned back in a fashion that reminded me of the top end of a pineapple.

"Where to take you?" the man said peering down into my face.

"...temple...please...save Ojiisan…"

"A temple?" The man's dark eyebrows knit together in confusion. I tried to guide him, but my jaws were cemented shut. The only sound that passed through my lips was a small moan.

"I can't take you near humans, they can't fix _this_," Red pineapple-san said grumbling.

"...no...please," I managed one small plea as I clung to him. I coughed a spattering of crimson into Red pineapple-san's chest, trying to ignore his disgusted yelp. "Please forgi-" I managed to get halfway through my apology before I was cut off.

"No, it's okay, but you shouldn't strain yourself. What's your name?"

"T-ts-tsu…" A shudder racked my body, "ki..k-" The man cut me off again.

"Hey, it's okay, don't push yourself. Is this the temple you spoke of? Abaroue, is that your name?" The man said reading the kanji characters in front of the shrine.

"...H..ai…" The pain crashed over me, strangling the air out of my lungs and making speech near impossible.

"Hush now Abaroue-san, we'll get you better soon," The man tried his best at reassuring me, but I could detect a hint of concern in his chocolate gaze. _Please Gods...release me_, I silently begged, as another wave of pain washed over me.

After observing my quickly deteriorating condition, Red pineapple-san wasted no time carrying me up the stairs. He approached the entrance to the main house, not bothering to knock. Strangely enough my Ojiisan was waiting at the door for him.

"I felt the unfamiliar reitsu, please come in!" Ojiisan said in a hushed whisper.

"Oh Tsukiko-chan! What's happened to her?" My Obasan's hand caressed my cheek. "Gods, she's lost so much blood. Please set her down here. What is your name, shinigami?"

"Oh uh, Abarai. My name is Renji Abarai," Red pineapple-san said as he laid me down gently on the parlor floor. "Wait, you mean you two can actually _see _me?"

"No!" I protested, "Your name is Red pineapple-san!"

Renji-san's face flushed as he swallowed hard. "Look little girl, my _name_ is Abarai Renji and I'm the lieutenant of the sixth division so you had better show me some respect!" I could see him about to pitch a full on tantrum.

"Whatever you say…" I was drifting on a sea of consciousness now, "...red pineapple-san."

"You...what did you say?" I could almost feel the anger rolling off of him.

"Pine...apple...and I'm _not_ little. I'm twenty two…" I tried my best to argue, but my body was overtaken by a bout of coughs.

"Yeah well you could have fooled me, Shorty-san."

Through the pain I tried to shoot him my best _look_. My Aunt wasn't the only one who could dole out harsh glares when the occasion called for it.

"Oi! Renji, why'd you take her here?" A petite female said running into the living area. I closed my eyes, the pain was bringing on bouts of nausea now. I reached a hand up to my mouth as if the layer of flesh could keep my dinner from coming back up. I felt something sticky smear my face and lips. I cracked an eye open to examine my hands. _Oh Gods...is that_...Without finishing my thought I leaned over and emptied my stomach's contents.

Blood. My hands, and now my face, were caked with blood. I don't consider myself squeamish, but there's just something about copious amounts of your body's _own_ life source being smeared against your lips that makes you feel like hurling.

"Please," the female voice said sternly, "stand back." After my body's refusal to keep my dinner down, I was too embarrassed to look around and see what was happening around me.

"Can you fix her Rukia?" Renji-san's voice said all traces of humor gone.

"I will do what I can, but we _need_ to get her to Urahara-san's shop. I don't want to be caught by surprise if we get anymore visitors. Radio the others, tell them to abandon their posts and meet us there immediately."

I felt two cold hands searching my abdomen. I struggled to flee from the roaming appendages as they approached my wound. Even through my closed eyes I could detect a trace of light, before a cooling sensation flooded my abdomen.

"...that...feels…" I tried to get out the last word, but now that the waves were no longer threatening to consume me I was suddenly so tired.

"What? Is she hurting you?" I could sense a hint of anger through my Ojiisan's tone. I tried my best to reassure him, but my head felt too heavy to move, and the cooling sensation was so pleasant I knew I only had a few more minutes of consciousness before I succombed to glorious sleep.

"No Ojii...feels…" I sucked in a breath, "...n-niiice."

"Hush, Miko-chan, you need to rest now," I wasn't sure who was speaking to me, and at that moment I didn't care. The idea of a world without pain was a welcoming one that I relished.


End file.
